1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mounting structure for the cables of a boat propulsion unit to guide the cables from the boat into an engine hood via a pass-through hole provided in the engine hood, and to provide water-sealing for the pass-through hole in a port section via a rubber grommet.
2. Description of the Related Art
This type of mounting structure for the cables of the boat propulsion unit is disclosed in JP-Y2-Hei6-45437, JP-B-3695165, and JP-A-2004-338464, for example. JP-Y2-Hei6-45437 discloses a structure in which a mounting plate and an under cover of an engine hood are separated, and a rubber grommet with cables running therethrough is sandwiched between the mounting plate and the under cover. In JP-B-3695165, a separate pass-through port is provided by connecting a port section provided in a front panel and a port section provided in a side cover. JP-A-2004-338464, FIG. 3, discloses a structure in which an engine bottom cover is divided into three pieces, split covers on the right and the left, and a cable-guide cover provided with a cylindrical portion for guiding the cables. The cables are disposed in a through hole provided in the sealing member by opening up a slit in a sealing member within the engine cover, and the sealing member is fitted into a tapered hole (pass-through hole) provided in the cylindrical portion.
However, the conventional water-sealing structure disclosed in JP-Y2-Hei6-45437 and JP-B-3695165 is not desirable because, as the port section for guiding the cables is divided, there is a possibility of water seepage from a gap at the parting line in the port section. The gap at the parting line can be water-sealed to prevent such water seepage, but it is not desirable because the complicated joint structure for water-sealing the parting line area of the engine hood will increase production cost.
In a water-sealing structure shown in FIG. 3 of JP-A-2004-338464, a port section for guiding the cables to the inside is not divided. However, the section including the port section is constructed separately from the cover element of the engine hood, and water seepage may occur at the parting line of the cover. Thus, this structure is also not desirable.